Spring support for furniture



Aug. 20, 1929. H. AsHr-:R

Y SPRING SUPPORT FOR FURNITURE Filed June '7, 1927 \\\\\\-lllll///,

Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY ASHER, F LONDON, ENGLAND.

srRING SUPPORT FOR FURNITURE.

Application led .Tune 7, 1.927, Serial No. 187,143, and in Great BritainJanuary 27, 1927.

This invention refers to improvements in spring supports for'furniture.

The invention has more particular reference to spring supports of thekind comprising two spring-controlled telescopic members one of which isadapted for screwing or fixing to the leg of the article and the otherto rest directly on the floor or to carry a resilient pad or wheel.

The invention has for its primary object to provide a spring-support orcastor of improved and simplified construction which can be applied to achair or other article of furniture even by an unskilled person and alsOwithout the use of a screw-driver or any other tool than that requiredto bore a small hole in the bottom of the leg of the article.

Now according to the present invention I provide a spring support forfurniture comprising a pair of substantially cupshaped telescopicmembers having an intermediate spring tending to keep the partsextended, one of said members being provided with a xed screw forengagement with the leg of a chair or the like.

In order that the present invention may be clearly understood and morereadily carried into effect it is hereinafter described with referenceto the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of aspring castor constructed in accordance with the present invention andshown applied to the lower portion of the leg of a chair or otherarticle of furniture.

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the said castor.

Figure 3 is al plan view of the said castor.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the slightly modified form of castor, thecentral screw being removed so as to show the central fixing holetherefor; and

Figures 5 and 6 are views illustrating certain modifications hereinreferred to.

As shown and in carrying the present invention into effect the improvedspring castor comprises two telescopic members a, Z) of metal, which arenormally kept extended by means of a helical steel spring c of suitablestrength. The members a, b may be of any convenient construction ordesign. In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in thedrawings the upper member a is in the form of an inverted cap having aslightly dished or flat end a and an outwardly flared or flanged loweredge a2. The lower member b which in the present embodiment is thelarger or containing member for the part a is of bulbous shape havingcurved sides and bottom and an inturned fianged portion b adapted toco-operate with the aforesaid flared or flanged lower edge a2 of thepart a. The flange a2 is suitably formed during the manufacture, andafter the parts have been assembled with the spring c in position, theflange b is formed. The lower member may if desired be provided withmeans for keeping the spring in the central position such for instance,as a circular rib or indentation.

In order that the castor may be readily screwed or fixed to the leg of achair or the like the member a is provided with a central screw e whichis attached in any suitable manner to the closed end a thereof. In theconstruction illustrated the squared end f of the screw e is passedthrough a square hole g in the end a of the part a and then rivettedover as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

For the purpose of still further assisting the operation of fixing orscrewing the castor in place the two parts a and b may be provided withmeans such as the interengaging projections h and internal grooves h asshown in Figures l and 3 of the drawings. rIhus a better hand grip isprovided than if only the one part a adjacent to the end of the chair orother leg, were fixed as regards rotation to the screw e. The two partsmay be prevented from rotating by other means as will be readilyunderstood. For instance, the one part a may be provided with one ormore vertical grooves z' whilst the part b may be provided with one ormore aligned indentations y' formed by a centre punch or other tool orwith one or more vertical grooves.

It will be manifest that in some cases the disposition of the parts a, bmay be reversed that is, the upper member may be the larger so as tocontain or receive the lower member. Also instead of employing a metalspring c to keep the parts extended and to give the required resilienceto the castor I may employ a block or cushion of indiarubber.

The lower member, instead of making direct contact with the floor may beprovided with a cap or pad of rubber or other resilient ment with theupper member and means on said members to hold them against relativerotation and means limiting the sliding movement of the lower memberaway from the upper member, and resilient means in said supportyieldably resisting sliding movement of the members towards each Other.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

HARRY ASHER.

